“It’s important for us to be at the forefront of new technologies and innovative solutions that have the potential to change the way we move freight,” said Nick Hobbs, chief operating officer and president of contract services at J.B. Hunt. “These zero-emission trucks from Nikola advance our progress towards achieving our ambitious goal to reduce carbon emission intensity through viable solutions.”
The initial truck order will include 10 battery-electric and three hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, with delivery of the first vehicles expected in August 2023. These trucks will be strategically located at facilities servicing J.B. Hunt’s key routes, including in the greater Los Angeles and Phoenix areas. Nikola’s hydrogen arm, HYLA, will supply the hydrogen and fueling infrastructure.
“We are thrilled that the industry leader for supply-chain solutions has chosen our Nikola Class 8 battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks to use for their operations,” said Nikola CEO Michael Lohscheller. “Their purchase and use of these zero-emissions trucks are a testament to the hard work of our engineering, development and manufacturing teams, who created a robust, highly advanced truck lineup, as well as our HYLA hydrogen infrastructure solutions, which are designed to benefit companies such as J.B. Hunt.”
J.B. Hunt is committed to helping drive the industry toward a low-carbon future and reducing its environmental impact. In November 2022, the company set an ambitious goal to reduce carbon emission intensity 32% by 2034 (with a 2019 baseline). Incorporating alternative powered equipment into its fleet is one of three key focus areas in reaching the goal.
J.B. Hunt continually evaluates opportunities to utilize emerging technologies in exhaust-free vehicles. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the company took delivery of its first company-owned Class 8 electric vehicle. In 2017, J.B. Hunt was one of the first companies to place an order for an all-electric heavy-duty Class 8 truck and began incorporating electric vehicles into operations in 2023. In addition to electric vehicles, J.B. Hunt is helping reduce carbon emissions through intermodal conversion. Over the past decade, J.B. Hunt’s intermodal service has helped avoid an estimated 30 million metric tons of CO2e emissions from over-the-road truck transportation.